Kwinana green hydrogen hub edges closer at site of former oil refinery

A feasibility study into the development of a large-scale green hydrogen production facility at the site of bp’s former Kwinana oil refinery in Western Australia has been completed, identifying the potential to produce up to 143 tonnes of the zero emissions fuel a day.

WA energy minister Bill Johnston announced the completion of the state-funded “concept development phase study” on Friday, saying it brings the proposed H2Kwinana project a step closer to a final investment decision.

According to CSIRO’s HyResource page, the feasibility study aimed to weigh the installation of an electrolyser of at least 75MW – presumably powered by renewables to produce green hydrogen – as well as hydrogen storage, compression and truck loading facilities, and upgrades to bp’s existing on-site pipeline.

Johnston says the study has identified two potential base case scenarios, with the H2Kwinana producing either 44 tonnes per day of green hydrogen or 143 tonnes per day. A third case identified the potential growth target of 429 tonnes per day.

“With the completion of this feasibility study Western Australia is a step closer to the creation of a green hydrogen hub,” the minister said.

“Kwinana has been a central hub of fuel operations for the past 65 years, the potential development of a green hydrogen hub would progress the decarbonisation of the Kwinana Industrial Area.”

Bp announced the wind down of the Kwinana Oil refinery near Fremantle in WA – at one time the biggest of its kind in Australia – in October 2020, after 65 years of operation.

As CSIRO notes here, at the time of the closure announcement, bp committed to exploring opportunities to convert the Kwinana site to a renewable and clean energy production hub.

The project was also awarded $70 million in federal government funding in 2022, promised as one of the dying acts of the Coalition Morrison government before it was voted out of power, as well as by the incoming Albanese government.

WA’s Kwinana industrial zone, which is home to an Alcoa alumina refinery, is also the site of the first big battery to be connected to the state’s main grid – the 100MW, two hour (200MWh) Kwinana battery owned by Synergy.

A second phase of project kicked off construction last month, with state-owned utility Synergy building a 200MW, four hour (800MWh) battery next to the 100MW, two hour (200MWh) first stage.